Bye-bye Brooks

Indianapolis — Aaron Brooks’ lone season as the Raiders’ finger-pointing (i.e., don’t blame me, it wasn’t my fault) starting quarterback ended in ignominy Thursday when the team declined to pick up his option for 2007.

Brooks was due a $5 million roster bonus, so it made all the sense in the world to cut him loose. That, and the fact that the once-mobile quarterback was sacked 26 times in eight games. After being sacked seven times in the Raiders’ season-opening 27-0 loss to the Chargers, Brooks fumbled two snaps and strained a pectoral muscle at Baltimore in his second start of the 2006 season. That caused him to sit out the next seven games, and second-year quarterback Andrew Walter became the sacrificial lamb for a porous Raiders offensive line.

When Brooks eventually returned, he became known for passing on blame for a team that scored only 12 offensive touchdowns all year. It’s the same bad rap (along with poor play) that eventually cost him his job after six seasons with the Saints.

Bottom line: Brooks never won a single game in a Raiders uniform.

So, does this mean that the Raiders will draft LSU’s JaMarcus Russell or Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn with their No. 1 overall pick in the draft? Or did Brooks get the hook because of the cash?

“We just thought, when we put everything together that it just wasn’t the right fit, right now,” first-year Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said Thursday as the NFL scouting combine got underway in Indianapolis. “So obviously, when you do that, you don’t make a decision on just the guy’s playing ability. You make a decision on his money as well.”

What about picking a quarterback No. 1?

“That decision was not made because of that,” Kiffin said. “There are a number of players at the top of that draft who can change our team really quick. And a number of playmakers, especially on offense, that can come in right away and help us. So we’ll evaluate all of that.

“This decision was not made based on that first pick.”

Kiffin also said the Raiders are “excited” about Walter and think he’ll be a “very good quarterback.” The team also is going to look at free agent quarterbacks, since Marques Tuiasosopo isn’t expected to re-sign.